Fansided

Ohio State honors late Will Smith at spring game (Photo)

By John Buhler

ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 30: Will Smith #91 of the New Orleans Saints looks on against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 30, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis won 31-21. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - OCTOBER 30: Will Smith #91 of the New Orleans Saints looks on against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome on October 30, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis won 31-21. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images) /
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The Ohio State Buckeyes will wear a decal at their spring game at Ohio Stadium to honor the life of one of their own in great defensive end Will Smith.

The Ohio State Buckeyes will have their annual spring game at Ohio Stadium. Head coach Urban Meyer will have over 100,000 of his closest friends in attendance, as Columbus will certainly be rocking for the Buckeyes’ glorified spring practice.

That being said, Ohio State did lose one of their own in former defensive end and New Orleans Saints star Will Smith who was shot to death last week in a car crash gone wrong. The Buckeyes will wear a special commemorative decal honoring the life of the late great Smith.

On the iconic grey helmet that is split in half with a red stripe normally adorned with countless buckeye decals for on-field excellence, the only buckeye that will be on the players’ helmets will be appropriately in the mourning color of black with Smith’s initials W.S. on the back portion of each helmet.

Smith was a four-year letterman at Ohio State from 2000 to 2003. He was integral piece on the Buckeyes’ 2002 National Championship Team. Smith would go on to be an All-American as a senior in 2003 before being drafted by the Saints with the 18th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Smith would play 10 seasons in New Orleans, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl in 2006, and anchored a defensive line that was crucial in the Saints’ Super Bowl Championship season in 2009. The Saints’ organization told him privately that he was going to be inducted into the Saints’ Hall of Fame in the 2016 NFL season. He had 67.5 career quarterback sacks and 457 career tackles in a strong NFL career.

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